Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26
GAME IN MONTANA
HABITS AND HAuNTs OF rHs GRACE
FUL AsrbLoPE.
Eow They Make friends with the
Unframed Beef Cattle.


appeared from Montana vet. / note a
peculiar thing among the beef herds
this year, the like OF which have never
seen since the days of the bison. which
orcc tennnted these hills and valleys in
countless thousands. In crossing the
oIthwestern plains as far back as
1879, 1880, and 1881 il was an every
day occurrence to run upon many
herds Of buffalo, some of them so large
;Lat it would require all the way from
one TO three days to passt through them.
I remember such was the case in
the winter of 1870 while our COM
mand was chasing Sitting Bull and
bis myrmidons toward tho British Dor
der. Lining the Red Water, and
stretched out over broad expanse OF
country, was tremendous herd OF
bison that must have numbered close
on to 100,0 head, for it took us
nearly seyenty-two hours to pass
through this monstrous mass OF living
creatures, who made little attempt to
give MS the right of way. Even the
fourth day found us wandering through
the tail-end OF the herd, which was
continually On the move in some direc-
ton. On this same expedition we would
frequently encounter large bands OF an
telope, something like lunches of one
thousand head, moro or less, but we
always found it difficult matter to APP
proach within reasonable shooting
distance of these gazelles of the plains,
owing TO their keenness Of sight, acute
ness OF smell, and nimbleness Of foot.
Once sighted by antelope, it meant
shot at 400 yards and beyond, or not
at all. But now comes the remarkable
discovery ! made of the habits of the
antelope, and which / believe are not
put down in any of the books which
tell us, and are supposed to know, all
about the ways, customs, and habits of
this beautiful game animal. AS re-
marked, 400 yards was near for a shot
If discovered, although 800 and 200
wards have been gained by close creep
irg and crawling if neither scented nor
seen. On the other hand, buffalo might
be approached almost with impunity
up to $50 yards, but the ring of rifle
hiings on big scare, when Off
found the big fellows at a 2:40 gait, and
are soon lost to view in the distance
end dust Of the prairie. Now, it hap
pened while hunting bison that | be-
came aware of this fact-that antelope
associate with, browse in company,
and keep o sort of curious friendship
with the big unwieldly brutes. / OBJ
served scattered all through the buffalo
herds numerous members of the ante
lope family, and also that they seemed
to he berclt of fear when in such good
company, for very seldom did | observe
them take to their heels even when |
rode down the bison and scattered
them right and left. On one occasion,
after sending about 600 buffalo seam
rcring over the hills, | saw a dozen
or so antelope, who hung in
tie rear and on the TANKS Of
ho herd, seemingly 10th to take to
thoir heels and seek safety in flight. |
role up to one buck, actuallyapproach-
ing to within twenty-five yards of him,
and shot the fine fellow with my re-
volver. This brings pe to the point /
have been endeavoring tOreach. lnplace
Of the buffalo We now have as tenants
of our plains and valleys thousands
upon thousands of beef cattle. These
animals run loose the year round, and
from the freedom of the range and
merely rounding up but twice a year
have become about as wild and as free
IS their predecessors-the bisons. Let
70 unsophisticated tenderfoot of
the East imagine the beef cat
lie of the western plains are similar
70 their cousins ranging on the
oriental side of the great Mississippi.
Feef-herding 10y whites is not so very
much unlike bulialo-herding by reds.
The only difference is the matter Of
bmnding. A cowboy exhibits marvel
Ions skill snd courage in the way he
handles the rope and iron, and | verify
Lclieve that il the buffalo were still
here in place OF the present beef herds
lie cowpunchers of Montana would
round them up and brand them about
RS easily as they could handle the herds
Of to-day.
4 calf born on the range is brought
up on the range until ready for mar
let. 1t has the same wild associations
that the buffalo lad before it, and
what wonder if the yearling becomes
the same in nature and habits So
The cowboy in riding down and round
ING ND beef cattle Is really handling
a lot Of Wild animals who are simply
incapable Of domestication aud only
1T for veal and beef.
Strange to say, the hills and valleys
Of Montana this year show Il greater
number of antelope than at any time
since the season Of 1881. The CORE
srondent has been riding over the south
Yellowstone ranges-in about two feet
Of snow more or less-and in running
across numerous herds OF cattle along
the Mizpah, Pumpkin, Powder, and
Tongue rivers, was surprised and as
tonished to find scattered all through
the cattle any number of fine, fat ante
lope. Cows and antelope were grazing
side by side in the most intimate and
friendly terms, the former seemingly
as wild and unapproachablo as the
latter, and all enjoying themselves
as only wild animals can. Neither
myself nor the friend riding with me
who, by the way, was owner OF all the
stock we had seen and passed through
for miles-was able to approach closer
than a distance of two hundred yards.
Antelope and steers stood us off that
distance, and would allow no closer ac-
quaintance even from my friend, who
was the master of oil that beef around
him. The day was fine one, the sun
shining brightly, and rejecting from
the CLASSY, white-crusted surface IA glare
of such power and force that it caused
my eye to water, and also gave me much
pain whenever 1 attempted TO concen-
trate my gaze on any one object. | was
actually afflicted with snow-blindness,
totally unaware of it at the
time.
The truth was made apparent when
my friend, knowing that / was fair
shot with the rifle, invited me TO try
my hand at bringing down one OF the
visiting antelope from where we stood.
/ confidently unslung my Winchester,
and after throwing a cartridge into the
chamber took fine aim at the forehead
Of magnificent buck, who was intently
us from the short range OF
TWO hundred wards. | cOuld see the